During the Christmas season it is traditional to display a small, decorated tree indoors. In the past cut trees were usually maintained vertically by nailing a set of wooden struts to their bottom. More recently prefabricated stands have been provided for this purpose. These stands typically have a cylindrical support ring or collar mounted above a bowl, both of which are supported by a set of legs. Turn screws are threaded through the sides of the support collar so that their ends may be driven against the side of a tree that is positioned within the collar upon the bowl to hold it in axial alignment with the collar and to hold it vertically once the stand is set upon a supporting floor. The bowl then provides means for holding a supply of water and nutrients so that the tree may be preserved in the indoor environment for a period of time.
A common problem associated with Christmas tree stands of the type just described has been the tendency for the ends of the turn screws to penetrate the tree. This not only may prevent a firm gripping engagement from being had but can also form cavities which can become enlarged and further lose good gripping engagement with the screws.
Previous attempts to rectify this problem have included the use of enlarged turn screw ends as illustrated in the stands shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,014,896, 2,905,414 and 3,051,423. Serrated edges have also been provided to enhance gripping engagement as shown in the stand illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 2,615,660. Leaf springs too have been used in various manners within the support collar as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,913,202 and 3,058,707.
The just described attempts at solving the problem have met with only limited effectiveness in firmly gripping trees so that they do not tend to tilt within the support collar. Accordingly, it is to the provision of a Christmas tree stand that overcomes the just described problem in a more effective manner that the present invention is primarily directed.